Russian President Vladimir Putin has congratulated Yevgeny Petrosyan, a pop artist, comedian, artistic director of the Variety Miniatures Theater, People's Artist of the RSFSR, on the 80th anniversary. The corresponding telegram was published on the official Kremlin portal.
"Dear Evgeny Vaganovich, Please accept my congratulations on your 80th anniversary," the appeal says.
"Numerous fans of pop music in our country and far beyond its borders know you as a wonderful artist, highly appreciate your skill and talent as an improviser, inimitable humor and charm, boundless devotion to your chosen profession," the head of state emphasized.
He wished Petrosian health, inspiration and creative longevity.
Petrosyan was born on September 16, 1945 in Baku (then the Azerbaijan SSR). From school years he began to participate in amateur performances. He started his stage career as an entertainer, for the first two years he conducted concerts under the pseudonym "Petrov". In 1973, at the Moscow Variety Theater, he prepared the first concert program "Three went on stage" together with Lev Shimelov and Albert Pisarenkov. Later he staged many performances in the theater.
In 1979, the Petrosian Variety Miniature Theater was established. At the theater, Petrosyan created a Center for variety humor, which contains unique materials on the history of the stage of the XIX—XX centuries: magazines, posters, photos and other rarities. In 1985 he graduated from the department of stage directors of GITIS. In the same year he was awarded the title of Honored Artist of the RSFSR. Since 1988 he has been a leading artist and artistic director of the Moscow Concert Ensemble of Pop Miniatures.